Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2009 | Page 22
life
OUT & ABOUT
Roy Eccott pictured at Luccombe Villas, Shanklin at a recent installation
Spars and the stars
FIFTY years in any business is a significant
sub-contracted to work for other
when he’d just met Pattie Boyd [who he
milestone, but the half-century being
builders, but chose just the right time to
later married. And that was that.”
celebrated by RW Eccott and Sons is as
go it alone. The aftermath of wartime
much a tale of brushing with 60s showbiz
austerity was over, and 60s affluence
he notched up a significant number of
stars as the current success of the
and the decadence associated with the
household names, John Lennon following
business.
new celebrities was just taking off. “The
the example of his fellow Beatle and
marble lining to pools was a new thing
Wendy Craig was his most recent client
be a Millionaire?” it was the likes of Roy
on the market,” said Roy. “There was an
on the mainland. “I’ll sit down one day
Eccott’s clients he was thinking about.
agent who looked after all the stars, and
and write a book about them all,” Roy
John Lennon, George Harrison, Wendy
he rang me one day and asked if I’d take
promised, adding darkly: “But I’ll have to
Craig and their ilk certainly did want to
the swimming pool work on. I said “yes”,
be careful what I say . . . .”
be bothered with a country estate, and
but went home and said to the wife “I’ll
they certainly wanted it to have “a marble
never hear from him again,” but come
designs for the stars were not necessarily
swimming pool too”. Roy was the man
Monday morning, the agent rang back.
particularly whacky. “Simplicity is best, as
they brought in to provide it.
The first on his list was George Harrison,
long as it fits in with what’s there,” said
who wanted a pool on an estate at Esher
Roy. The traditional rectangular pool has
When Cole Porter wrote “Who Wants to
At the time he was a plasterer,
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Word of Roy’s designs got round, and
Contrary to what you might expect, his